Leftover Baggage from Llanview

20

Dorian:

On New Year's Day, I awaken just as it's growing light outside.

This morning I don't feel the fear and my early awakening is not triggered by nightmares.

It's a calmer awakening that I have felt perhaps in years...I know I've slept well this time and this brings a soft smile to my face.

Despite being up until almost two in the morning ringing in the new year with my family, it's unlikely that I'll fall back asleep again though, so I get up and get dressed.

I leave a note for David and a note on the kitchen table for the rest of my family and go for a walk in the snow before the others wake up.

David, Cassie, Lance, Addie, Blair, Starr and Hope will be leaving to head home later on this afternoon.

Langston and Jill are leaving for home tomorrow the second while Kelly, Jack and their kids are leaving this coming Saturday.

I have mixed feelings about their upcoming departures.

On one hand, I will miss them and the holidays when they go, but on the other hand, I'll be happy to have my house quiet again without a lot of people around.

Anyway, Risa will still be here...I myself return to work next week.

I'm happy to report that Cassie is more reassured that Risa is unlikely to have trouble fitting in here in DC.

Andrew seems to be coming around as well...he no longer believes that Risa was ever involved in any cult after all.

Cutting across my backyard, I let the snow fly about my boots as I walk briskly.

I smile softly as I look at the footprints and other rufflings of the kids playing out here since the snow fell. Snowballs, some in pieces, still litter the yard.

In contrast to last night, there is very little wind this morning, so I leave the hood of my long coat down.

The day before New Year's Eve, after the main roads were cleared, we walked around the National Mall and saw the National Monument, then walked around the back of the Capital and even stopped in the biggest building of the Library of Congress.

Langston loved the Library while Jill and Hope were enchanted by the Monument.

"There's that big pencil building!" Jill had exclaimed, her hazel eyes huge in wonderment.

We had ended our day exploring Union Station's shopping mall and Amtrak stations, then eating there at a pizza and pasta place.

Risa, Starr and Langston shared a huge foot-long pizza for dinner.

Yesterday afternoon and evening Cassie, Lance, Adriana, Quade, Blair, Kelly, Jack, Risa, Starr and Langston bar-hopped in Chinatown while the rest of us relaxed at home.

I'm so happy that Addie and I had bonding time with the kids.

Zane is a lot like Kelly both in personality and physically.

He has mostly honey-blond hair now, but most likely will end up with red hair like Kelly...Indigo has light brown hair that is showing signs of redness.

Both of Kelly's kids seem free of any Llanview influence and drama...Kelly and Jack have been able to set up a stable, peaceful home for them.

Starr is raising Hope very well despite all that they both have been through.

I am grateful that Jessica Buchanan was not able to take and keep Hope...and it seems as if the therapy is helping.

It helps that Blair was able to be a solid, stable mother for Starr and her siblings, despite all that went on in her own life.